The present invention relates, in general, to a hinge device for camera-equipped mobile phones and, more particularly, to a hinge device for such camera-equipped mobile phones, which is designed,to allow the fold of a mobile phone to be automatically opened or closed relative to the main body, and allow automatic rotation of a digital camera of the phone. The present invention also relates to a mobile phone having such a hinge device.
As well known to those skilled in the art, conventional mobile phones are classified into flip-type phones with a hinged cover covering a variety of buttons of a main body, and folding-type phones with a folding main body. In accordance with the recent trend toward smallness and compactness of mobile phones, the folding-type phones have become more widely used than the flip-type phones.
In a conventional folding-type mobile phone, a fold is hinged to a main body such that the fold is rotated toward or away from the main body to be closed or opened.
The conventional folding-type mobile phones are typically provided with a manual fold rotating mechanism designed to allow a user to manually open or close the fold relative to the main body. Nowadays, some models with a motor-operated fold rotating mechanism capable of automatically opening or closing the fold relative to the main body using a motor as well as allowing a user to manually open or close the fold as desired to enhance the convenience to users and functions of the phones have been proposed and used.
FIG. 1 shows a part of a conventional folding-type mobile phone equipped with such a motor-operated fold rotating mechanism to allow a user to manually or automatically open or close the fold. As shown in the drawing, the conventional folding-type mobile phone comprises a fold 1 and a main body 2 which are connected to each other using a hinge device.
The hinge device comprises a rotary hinge part 10 provided at the fold 1, and two fixed hinge parts 30 provided at the main body 2. The rotary hinge part 10 is hinged at both ends thereof to the two fixed hinge parts 30.
The motor-operated fold rotating mechanism is set in the hinge device to automatically open or close the fold 1 relative to the main body 2 as desired. The motor-operated fold rotating mechanism comprises a power generating means installed in the rotary hinge part 10 to generate a rotating drive force, a power transmission means for selectively engaging with the power generating means, and an elastic support means for applying an elastic biasing force to the power transmission means to selectively engage or disengage the power transmission means with or from the power generating means in response to an external force applied to the fold 1 by a user. The motor-operated fold rotating mechanism also has a position sensing means for sensing an angular position of the rotary hinge part 10 and outputting a control signal to the power generating means.
The power generating means generates a rotating drive force to rotate the fold 1 relative to the main body 2 in either direction, and comprises a motor 11, and a reduction gear assembly 12 for transmitting the rotating drive force of the motor 11 while lowering the rotating speed.
In a detailed description, the motor 11 is connected to a signal output means (not shown) externally provided at a predetermined position of the main body 2, and is turned on by electricity applied from a battery of the mobile phone in response to a signal outputted from the signal output means. The motor 11 thus generates an opposite directional rotating force.
The reduction gear assembly 12 is assembled with the output shaft of the motor 11, and transmits the rotating drive force of the motor 11 to the power transmission means while lowering the rotating speed it a predetermined ratio. The reduction gear assembly 12 comprises a plurality of planetary gears (not shown). In the reduction gear assembly 12, the planetary gears are assembled to have a predetermined reduction ratio, and function to prevent undesired reverse rotation of the reduction gear assembly 12, in addition to lowering the rotating speed.
The power transmission means comprises a first cam member 22 and a second cam member 23. The first cam member 22 connected to the reduction gear assembly 12 is tapered at an end thereof such that the central portion of the end of the first cam member 22 becomes flat and projects toward the second cam member 23, thus forming a tapered projection. The second cam member 23 has a depression tapered at opposite side surfaces thereof. During an automatic fold rotating mode of the hinge device, the first and second cam members 22 and 23 come into frictional engagement with each other due to the elastic biasing force of the elastic support means. When the power generating means generates a rotating force during the automatic fold rotating mode, the first cam member 22 is rotated in the same direction as that of the power generating means. The second cam member 23 is thus rotated in the same direction since the two cam members 2 and 23 frictionally engage with each other. However, when a user manually opens or closes the fold 1, and applies an external force to the fold 1 when the motor-operated fold rotating mechanism is maintained in the automatic fold rotating mode, the first and second cam members 22 and 23 disengage from each other.
In the power transmission means, the first cam member 22 is mounted to an end of the shaft of the reduction gear assembly 12, while the second cam member 23 is seated in a cavity formed in one of the two fixed hinge parts 30.
The elastic support means comprises a compression spring 40 made of a material having both high elastic strain and high restoring force. The compression spring 40 is set in the cavity of the fixed hinge part 30 such that a first end of the spring 40 is connected to an end wall of the cavity, and a second end is connected to an end of the power transmission means.
The elastic biasing force of the elastic support means is higher than the rotating drive force of the power generating means. Since the elastic support means having such a high elastic biasing force biases the power transmission means in a direction, the first and second cam members 22 and 23 of the power transmission means engage with or disengage from each other.
That is, when the fold 1 is opened or closed by the rotating drive force of the power generating means, the compression spring 40 applies its elastic biasing force higher than the rotating drive force of the power generating means to the power transmission means, thus maintaining the frictional engagement of the first and second cam members 22 and 23. However, when the user manually opens or closes the fold 1, the compression spring 40 is elastically deformed to allow the fold 1 to be manually opened or closed.
The position sensing means controls the power generating means to compensate for an angular phase difference of 30xc2x0 relative to a rotating angle range of 0xc2x0xcx9c150xc2x0 of the fold 1 relative to the main body.
That is, when the rotary hinge part 10 is positioned at the same angular phase as the power transmission means, the position sensing means senses the angular position of the rotary hinge part 10, and outputs a stop signal to the power generating means to stop the operation of the power generating means.
The position sensing means comprises position sensors selected from conventional magnetic sensors or photo sensors capable of outputting electric signals in accordance with an alignment of separate sensors. The position sensing means also may comprise a contact switch designed to output an electric signal to the power generating means when contacts of the contact switch come into contact with each other.
The above-mentioned hinge device for the mobile phones is operated as follows.
When a user manually rotates the fold 1 in either direction to open or close the fold 1 relative to the main body 2, the rotary hinge part 10 is rotated in the same direction in cooperation with the rotation of the fold 1.
In such a case, a manual rotating force applied to the rotary hinge part 10 by the user is higher than the elastic biasing force of the compression spring 40, the first and second cam members 22 and 23 slip off to disengage from each other.
That is, the second cam member 23 biased at an end thereof by the compression spring 40 is designed to selectively come into frictional engagement with the first cam member 22 mounted to the shaft of the reduction gear assembly 12. Therefore, when an external force is applied to the fold 1 by the user to manually open or close the fold 1, the first and second cam members 22 and 23 slip off to disengage from each other since the external force acting on the fold 1 is higher than the elastic biasing force of the compression spring 40. The power transmission means retracts after compressing the compression spring 40, so it is possible for the user to manually open or close the fold 1.
When the user wants to automatically open the fold 1, the user manipulates the signal output means of the main body 2. The signal output means thus outputs an electric signal to the power generating means;
In response to the signal outputted from the signal output means, the motor 11 of the power generating means is turned on by electricity applied from the battery of the mobile phone, thus being rotated in a direction and generating a desired directional rotating force capable of automatically opening the fold 1. The rotating force of the motor 11 is transmitted to the first cam member 22 mounted to the end of the shaft of the reduction gear assembly 12.
In such a case, the first and second cam members 22 and 23 are returned from their rotated positions, where the two cam members 22 and 23 are rotated at a predetermined angle to compress the compression spring 40, to their original positions by the restoring force of the compression spring 40.
In the above state, the first cam member 22 is rotated by the rotating force of the motor 11 under the condition that the first cam member 22 frictionally engages with the second cam member 23 of the fixed hinge part 30. Since the elastic biasing force of the compression spring 40 in the above state is higher than the drive force applied from the motor 11, the frictional engaging state of the first and second cam members 22 and 23 is maintained.
Since the second cam member 23 is mounted to the fixed hinge part 30, the first cam member 22 connected to the second cam member 23 is maintained at a fixed position. Since the first cam member 22 is maintained at the fixed position as described above, the rotating force of the motor 11 rotates the rotary hinge part 10 fixedly housing the motor 11. The fold 1 integrated with the rotary hinge part 10 is thus rotated in the same direction as that of the rotary hinge part 10, so the fold 1 is opened.
When the position sensor internally provided on the rotary hinge part 10 is aligned with the position sensor externally provided on the first cam member 22 during rotation of the rotary hinge part 10, the two position sensors have the same angular phase. In such a case, a predetermined electric signal is applied to the motor 11 to stop the rotation of the motor 11. The rotation of the fold 1 is stopped, so the opening action of the fold 1 is stopped.
When the user wants to automatically close the fold 1, the user manipulates the signal output means of the main body 2, so the signal output means outputs an electric signal to the motor 11 of the power generating means.
In response to the signal outputted from the signal output means, the motor 11 is turned on by electricity applied from the battery of the mobile phone to be rotated in a reverse direction, thus generating a reverse rotating force capable of closing the fold 1. The rotating force of the motor 11 is transmitted to the first cam member 22 mounted to the end of the shaft of the reduction gear assembly 12.
In such a case, the first and second cam members 22 and 23 are maintained at a frictional engaging position wherein the two cam members 22 and 23 frictionally engage with each other by the elastic biasing force of the compression spring 40, so the power transmission means comprising the first and second cam members 22 and 23 is fixed in their positions.
Due to the fixed position of the power transmission means, the rotary hinge part 10 fixedly housing the motor 11 is rotated in the reverse direction.
The fold 1 integrated with the rotary hinge part 10 is thus rotated in the same direction as the rotary hinge part 10 to be closed.
When the fold 1 is completely closed, the fold 1 comes into contact with the rain body 2, so the rotation of the fold 1 is stopped. Due to the stopping of the rotation of the fold 1, the motor 11 is overloaded.
In such a case, the overload is higher than the elastic biasing force of the compression spring 40, so the first and second cam members 22 and 23 slip off to disengage from each other. In addition, the motor 11 is moved to compress the compression spring 40.
Therefore, the first cam member 22 is rotated due to the rotating force of the motor 1. When the position sensor externally provided on the first cam member 22 is aligned with the position sensor internally provided on the rotary hinge part 10 during rotation of the first cam member 22, the two position sensors have the same angular phase. In such a case, a predetermined electric signal is applied to the motor 11 to stop the rotation of the motor 11. The rotation of the fold 1 to be closed is stopped, so the closing action of the fold 1 is stopped.
In recent years, there have been proposed and widely used camera-equipped mobile phones which are interiorly or exteriorly equipped with digital cameras to allow users to transmit images and sound with call-connected counterparts through the mobile phones.
A conventional external digital camera for mobile phones is externally attached to the main body of a mobile phone such that a user manually rotates the camera in either direction to make the camera face the user or another target subject opposite to the user to take a photograph of the user or the target subject.
However, the mobile phones having the conventional external digital cameras at their main bodies are problematic in that the camera increases the volume of the phone. In addition, the conventional external digital cameras force users to separately carry the cameras and connect the cameras to their phones when necessary, thus being inconvenient to the users.
In an effort to overcome the problems of the external digital cameras for mobile phones, internal digital cameras set in mobile phones have been proposed and used.
The internal digital cameras are constructed as follows. That is, a cylindrical digital camera is interiorly set in the hinge device which hinges the fold to the main body of a mobile phone, with a camera rotating mechanism installed in the hinge device to automatically rotate the camera. In the operation of the mobile phone with such an internal digital camera, the camera is automatically rotated by a motor. That is, when the fold of the mobile phone is rotated to be open, the camera is automatically rotated in a direction to make the camera face inward (toward the user) or outward (toward another target subject opposite to the user) to take a photograph of the user or the target subject.
The internal digital cameras are advantageous in that they do not increase the volume of mobile phones, and are automatically rotated, thus being convenient to users.
However, the mobile phones with such internal digital cameras are problematic in that the camera rotating mechanism is installed in the hinge device, so the hinge device is not designed to automatically open or close the fold.
That is, due to a limited space inside the hinge device of the mobile phones, it is impossible to separately install two motors for the camera rotating mechanism and the fold rotating mechanism in the hinge device, so the mobile phones having the internal digital cameras do not have the fold rotating mechanism in the hinge device. Therefore, in the prior art, the motor-operated fold rotating mechanism for automatically opening or closing the fold is installed in the hinge device only when the hinge device does not have such an internal digital camera.
Since the conventional hinge device for mobile phones does not house both the camera rotating mechanism and the fold rotating mechanism receive due to its limited internal capacity as described above, the mobile phones do not accomplish the function of automatically opening or closing the fold and the function of automatically rotating the internal digital camera at the same time, thus being inconvenient to users.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge device for camera-equipped mobile phones, which is designed to allow the fold of a mobile phone to be automatically opened or closed relative to the main body, and allow automatic rotation of a digital camera of the phone.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile phone having such a hinge device.
In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a hinge device for connecting a fold and a main body of a camera-equipped mobile phone to each other, comprising: a fixed hinge part provided at the main body; a rotary hinge part provided at the fold and hinged at both ends thereof to the fixed hinge part; a power generating means provided in the fold to generate a rotating drive force; an internal rotor provided in the rotary hinge part to be rotated by the rotating drive force generated by the power generating means; an image pickup device provided in the internal rotor to take a photograph of a target subject; a rotation stop means for stopping rotation of the internal rotor and rotating the rotary hinge part using the rotating drive force of the power generating means; and a power transmission means connected at both ends thereof to the power generating means and the fixed hinge part, respectively, to selectively perform power transmission.
In the hinge device, the power generating means preferably comprises a motor which is rotated in either direction to generate a forward or reverse directional rotating force. The power generating means preferably further comprises a reduction gear assembly connected to the motor so as to transmit the rotating drive force of the motor while lowering a rotating speed.
The reduction gear assembly comprises: a first reduction gear assembly installed in the internal rotor; and a second reduction gear assembly connected to the first reduction gear assembly through a shaft, and installed in the rotary hinge part.
The rotation stop means comprises an external stopper formed on an external surface of the internal rotor, and an internal stopper formed on an internal surface of the rotary hinge part. The external stopper and internal stopper each preferably comprise two stoppers formed at positions spaced apart from each other at an angular interval of 180xc2x0.
The power transmission means comprises: a first cam member connected at a first end thereof to the power generating means, and tapered at a second end thereof to have a tapered projection; and a second cam member connected at a first end thereof to the fixed hinge part, and having a tapered depression at a second end thereof such that the tapered depression of the second cam member comes into engagement with the tapered projection of the first cam member.
The hinge device further comprises an elastic support means for applying an elastic biasing force to the power transmission means.
The elastic support means preferably comprises a compression spring installed in the fixed hinge part.
The reduction gear assembly comprises: a first reduction gear assembly connected to the motor; a second reduction gear assembly fixed to the rotary hinge part; and a third reduction gear assembly installed in the internal rotor and connected at a first end thereof to the first reduction gear assembly through a power transmitting unit, and connected at a second end thereof to the second reduction gear assembly through a shaft. The power transmitting unit comprises a timing belt or a gear train.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a hinge device for connecting a fold and a main body of a camera-equipped mobile phone to each other, comprising: a fixed hinge part provided at the main body; a rotary hinge part provided at the fold and hinged at both ends thereof to the fixed hinge part; an internal rotor provided in the rotary hinge part; a digital camera provided in the internal rotor; a motor provided in the fold to generate a rotating drive force; a first reduction gear assembly installed in the fold, and connected to the motor so as to transmit the rotating drive force of the motor while primarily lowering a rotating speed; a second reduction gear assembly connected to the first reduction gear assembly through a shaft, and installed in the rotary hinge part so as to transmit the rotating drive force of the motor while secondarily lowering the rotating speed; a rotation stop means for stopping rotation of the internal rotor and rotating the rotary hinge part using the rotating drive force of the motor; a power transmission means connected at both ends thereof to the second reduction gear assembly and the fixed hinge part, respectively, to selectively perform power transmission; and an elastic support means for applying an elastic biasing force higher than the rotating drive force of the motor to the power transmission means, and allowing the power transmission means to disengage from the motor when an external force is applied to the fold.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a mobile phone comprising a hinge device having a fixed hinge part provided at a main body of the phone and a rotary hinge part provided at a fold of the phone, thus hinging the fold to the main body, the mobile phone comprising: an internal rotor provided in the rotary hinge part; a digital camera provided in the internal rotor; a power generating means provided in the internal rotor to generate a rotating drive force; a rotation stop means for stopping rotation of the internal rotor and rotating the rotary hinge part using the rotating drive force of the power generating means; a power transmission means connected at both ends thereof to the power generating means and the fixed hinge part, respectively, to selectively perform power transmission; an elastic support means for applying an elastic biasing force higher than the rotating drive force of the power generating means to the power transmission means, and allowing the power transmission means to disengage from the motor when an external force is applied to the fold; and a signal output means for outputting an electric signal to the power generating means.
In still another aspect, the present invention provides a mobile phone comprising, a hinge device having a fixed hinge part provided at a main body of the phone and a rotary hinge part provided at a fold of the phone, thus hinging the fold to the main body, the mobile phone comprising: an internal rotor provided in the rotary hinge part; a motor provided in the fold to generate a rotating drive force; a rotation stop means for stopping rotation of the internal rotor and rotating the rotary hinge part using the rotating drive force of the power generating means; a digital camera provided in the internal rotor; a reduction gear assembly used for transmitting the rotating drive force of the motor while lowering a rotating speed; a power transmission means connected at both ends thereof to the reduction gear assembly and the fixed hinge part, respectively, to selectively perform power transmission; an elastic support means for applying an elastic biasing force higher than the rotating drive force of the motor to the power transmission means, and allowing the power transmission means to disengage from the motor when an external force is applied to the fold; and a signal output means for outputting an electric signal to the motor.